A subspecies of the big-headed turtle with a relatively larger size, found in Vietnam and China.
Lineage: Turtles and Tortoises (TESTUDINES) > Cryptodira (CRYPTODIRA) > Durocryptodira (DUROCRYPTODIRA) > Testudinoid Turtles Superfamily (TESTUDINOIDEA) > Big-headed Turtles (PLATYSTERNIDAE) > Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon) > Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) > Vietnamese Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum shiui). This path helps place the taxon within its family, genus, or species-level context.
Plate page 223
Chinese Name
平胸龟越南亚种
English Name
Vietnamese Big-headed Turtle
Scientific Name
Platysternon megacephalum shiui
Rank
Subspecies
Plate notes
Platysternon megacephalum shiui
Trivia
Named after Oscar Shiu, a Hong Kong animal exporter who obtained the type specimens.
Overview
A subspecies of the big-headed turtle with a relatively larger size, found in Vietnam and China.
Scientific Name
Platysternon megacephalum shiui
Ecological Habits
No specific data; generally inhabits hill streams and rocky pools.
Major Threats & Conservation
No specific data; likely threatened by habitat loss and harvesting for food and pet trade.
Morphological Characteristics
Size: male max SCL 15.1 cm, female max SCL 10.7 cm. Typical of the species with a large head and hooked upper jaw.
Natural Distribution & Conservation Status
Distribution: China (Guangxi, Hainan), Vietnam. Estimated Indigenous Area of Occupancy: 47,773 sq km. Estimated Extent of Occurrence: 124,502 sq km. Listed under CITES Appendix I as part of Platysternidae spp.
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